Staten Island’s troubled 120th Precinct is being sued for the wrongful death of Irving Mizell, a 52-year-old man died from a heart attack while in NYPD custody.
Mizell complained about having breathing issues while he was being booked at the precinct and was pronounced dead at the Richmond University Medical Center. The Daily News reports that “the medical examiner ruled his death was ‘accidental’ due to a heart attack and acute intoxication from the combined effects of alcohol and Valium.” According to the lawsuit, the arresting officers “viciously beat, and assaulted him while dragging him down seven flights of stairs,” out of view of security cameras. Mizell’s family’s lawyer stated that “the autopsy also showed multiple blunt impact injuries to the dead man’s head, torso and extremities, multiple cuts and a bruised lung.”
The lawsuit follows the tragic death of Eric Garner, an asthmatic 43-year-old man who died after being placed into a chokehold by an officer from the precinct. Garner was being arrested for selling loosie cigarettes.
The 120th Precinct has the highest number of most-sued NYPD officers in the city. A police review panel has recommended disciplinary charges against three officers involved in the latest lawsuit, citing excessive force and failing to get medical treatment for Mizell.
The three cops involved are still on full duty. Mizell’s brother, George Mizell, called his sibling “absolutely harmless,” and added “they thought he was a drunk, a nobody who would get a beating and nobody would find out. Well, now they’re going to find that they were wrong.”
Mizell was apprehended for violating an order of protection filed by his girlfriend. (Photo: @jag9889)
